I have been WAY too busy taking in and moving our new stuff to follow the news today so I am wondering:

Has Ann Coulter* figured out a way to call General Clark a traitor yet? This (the entry of a four star general with major combat and geopolitcial experience as a Democrat) puts everything in a very different light, no?

I was in Larry Flynt's combination coffehouse / marital aid outlet in Hollyweird yesterday (picking up gifts for my beloved) and asked the help if their boss was still in the race and they all said he was but they did not seem very enthusiastic about it.

Very early this AM was watching Scarborough Country of yesterdays interview with her and she seems to be litening up on the general now although still saying that all the democratic runners look and sound alike.

I can't even come up with printable adjectives for the likes of Coulter...how these kinds of divisive, disinformation specialists have access to a national soap box is beyond understanding. But then, McCarthy once stood on a tall one--didn't he?

McCain and Hagel served, as did Kerry, Clark, Gephardt, Bonior, Daschle, Rangel, and even Ted Kennedy.

I may have to cancel my order for a George Bush action figure ("Bring it on! Bring it on! Bring it on!") and order a Wes Clark action figure instead. Clark's military resume is almost as impressive as the one GWB has imagined for himself: "I've been to war. I've raised twins. If I had a choice, I'd rather go to war."

Clark, a "Clintonista"? Wasn't Clinton president back when there was full employment, a federal surplus, and the Israelis and Palestinians were actually talking to one another?

I was just talking about folks who had served in the military, including Republicans Hagel and McCain. Lots of the bright and shining stars of Republicanism have served (Joe McCarthy, Jesse Helms, Spiro Agnew and Strom Thurmond come to mind).

Although virtually none of the current party leadership has had military service, the accusation that all Republicans are chickenhawks is not entirely true. McCain and Hagel are examples.

Gee, Auburnwine, I was only talking 'bout Ms. Coulter. I know she is extreme right, but if she is a Christian, I am the Buddha reincarnated. This lady needs the 10 Commandments posted on her living room wall, as a reminder, and she needs one of the commandments branded to the insides of her eyelids--the one about not bearing false witness...

Al Franken, a true on the left kinda guy whose latest book has the right talk show/talking heads going crazy, told the following. What's his name, Hannlin or Hannolin--whatever--talks a lot about Democrats who are sissies who run from a fight. So, Franken calls the guy up and introduces himself.

High, this is Al Franken.

Oh, Hello Al. What can I do for you?

Well, I thought maybe you would like to fight me.

Huh?

You want to fight me?

What are you talkin' about?

You keep calling us Democrats sissies. I thought maybe you would like to fight me.

He has Hillary in his camp, Foodie. That fits the definition of a Clintonista in my book.

An interesting item on Gen Clark popped up in an obscure CA newspaper (obscure to me, out here in the toolies). Gen (ret.) Hugh Shelton, former CJCS, was asked, "What do you think of General Wesley Clark and would you support him as a presidential candidate?" Gen Shelton replied, "I've known Wes for a long time. I will tell you the reason he came out of Europe early had to do with integrity and character issues, things that are very near and dear to my heart. I'm not going to say whether I'm a Republican or Democrat. I'll just say Wes won't get my vote." (see http://www.losaltosonline.com/articles/2...ews01.txt)

I had not heard anything about Clark's departure from Europe, but it sure sounds like he was relieved as SACEUR for cause. Assume that issue will be explored in depth over the next year.

I sent an e-mail to Rush Limbaugh when he coined the nickname "Upchuck" Hagel for the Senator from Nebraska (a Republican by the way) Chuck Hagel, who has two Purple Hearts from Vietnam and was featured in a documentary with his brother who also served in Vietnam. (Chuck Hagel defended our involvement in Vietnam while his brother turned against the war.) I checked and found that Rush had no military service and told him he had no right to use that nickname for Senator Hagel and that his comments were what made me upchuck.
Chicago "Sun-Times" (Sept. 22 or 23) had a Robert Novak column about GEN Clark. It makes for interesting reading. As a civilian working for the Department of the Army I will say no more and leave it to all you brilliant minds to come to your own conclusions. I do like to see egotistical, hypocritical talk hosts put in place, however, and that includes the Al Franken episode and Mike Savage who made some dreadful comments about gays and AIDS when he thought the microphone was off (lost his tv program I believe).